ST 3355 (Full Review)

Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3355

A full review by Rahmat Ali

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This puzzle was published on 8^th February 2026

BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Greetings from Kolkata. A lovely and splendid puzzle from Dada this Sunday that I enjoyed solving and subsequently writing a full review of the same for your kind perusal and valuable feedback.

Bottom, the answer to the clue at 20d, took me down memory lane to when I was only seven years old and studying in Class II. ‘The Radiant Reader’ was our English literature book and contained many short stories. ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ was one of them. At that time, I was not aware of Shakespeare and this story ran to just two pages. I vividly remember that it included a picture of Nick Bottom with an ass’s head, which I found very funny. Other characters mentioned were Puck, Cobweb, Peaseblossom and Mustardseed. Later in life, however, I read the full version of the play and enjoyed it very much. In ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Nick Bottom is one of Shakespeare’s most memorable comic creations. A weaver by trade, Bottom is part of a group of amateur craftsmen who attempt to stage a play for the Duke’s wedding. He is exuberant, confident and gloriously self-important. Convinced of his own theatrical brilliance, he insists he can play every role, that of a hero, lover, tyrant and even the lion. He believed himself as the most capable performer in the company. His inflated self-esteem and lack of self-awareness make him a central source of humour. Yet Bottom is more than a mere fool. His enthusiasm is genuine and his leadership among the mechanicals shows a kind of natural authority. He approaches the theatre with seriousness and passion, even if his understanding is limited. When the mischievous fairy Puck transforms his head into that of an ass, Bottom remains largely untroubled, displaying remarkable calm and practicality. His bizarre romance with the enchanted Titania, the Fairy Queen, is played for comedy, but Bottom accepts his strange fortune with good-natured ease. Importantly, Bottom embodies the play’s themes of illusion and transformation. Though ridiculous, he is also oddly philosophical. Upon waking from his enchanted experience, he reflects that he has had ‘a most rare vision’ beyond human explanation. In this moment, his language rises unexpectedly toward poetry, suggesting hidden depth beneath his buffoonery. Thus, Bottom is at once comic and endearing, a parody of ambition, yet also a celebration of imagination and theatrical joy.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

7a           Country artiste disappointing, by the sound of it? (9)
SINGAPORE: The definition of an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia is arrived at from homophones heard by the audience (by the sound of it) of a combo of SINGER (artiste) as a person who sings, especially a trained or professional vocalist who earns a living by singing, an example of which is an artiste i.e. a skilled public performer or entertainer, especially a singer or dancer and POOR (disappointing) as an adjective meaning disappointing, disagreeable or giving no pleasure

8a           Demonic soul resided to the west (5)
DEVIL: The definition of an evil spirit or demonic soul is got from LIVED (resided) as a verb in the past tense meaning resided, stayed or dwelt that is seen going from right to left or in a westward direction (to the west)

10a        Desert area half covered by orbiter (6)
MAROON: The definition of a verb meaning to desert, desolate, forsake or abandon is obtained from 50% of the letters (half) of AR[EA] surrounded or embraced (covered) by MOON (orbiter) as the natural satellite orbiting or going round the earth and hence an orbiter

11a        Flowering plant Victorian grew (8)
PRIMROSE: The definition of a European plant of woodland and hedgerows, which produces pale yellow flowers in the early spring is obtained from a charade of PRIM (victorian) as an adjective meaning victorian or affectedly dainty or refined and ROSE (grew) as a verb in the past tense meaning grew, increased in volume or became larger, greater or bigger

12a        Irregular stripe runs through meat (6)
STREAK: The definition of an irregular mark or stripe is deduced from R (runs) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket across (through) STEAK (meat) as a slice of meat, typically beef, usually cut thick and across the muscle grain and served broiled or fried

14a        Wipe face on towel with difficulty (6)
TISSUE: The definition of a noun meaning wipe, paper, wrapping paper or something used for wiping is got from the front or initial letter (face) on T[OWEL] followed by (with) ISSUE (difficulty) as a problem or difficulty

16a        Elegant, such iconic jackets (4)
CHIC: The definition of an adjective denoting stylish or elegant, especially of fashionable clothes, women etc is part of or seen inside (jackets) [SU]CH IC[ONIC]

17a        Future husband not in fluster (5)
LATER: The definition of an adjective denoting future, subsequent or being or coming in the time ahead is arrived at from LAT[H]ER (fluster) as fluster, tumult or a state of discomposure having H (husband) as the genealogical abbreviation for husband taken away or removed (not in)

18a        Objective opinion initially welcomed by lass (4)
GOAL: The definition of a noun denoting objective, aim, object or target is reached from the initial or first letter (initially) of O[PINION] embraced or taken in (welcomed) by GAL (lass) as an informal term for a woman or girl, an example of which is a lass i.e. a girl or young woman, especially one who is unmarried

19a        Smell bad minibeast in moonshine (6)
HUMBUG: A charade of HUM (smell) as a verb meaning to smell bad or unpleasant and BUG (minibeast) as a small invertebrate with many legs, such as a spider or a centipede, an example of which is a minibeast i.e. a small invertebrate animal such as an insect or spider guides to the definition of a noun meaning nonsense or rubbish, something not to be believed or deception or fraud, something intended to deceive, an example of which is a moonshine i.e. nonsense or foolish talk or thought

21a        Chicken and mustard (6)
YELLOW: Double definition; the second being a noun referring to mustard or browning yellow colour of the condiment that takes to the first an adjective denoting chicken, gutless, yellow-bellied or easily frightened

24a        Bolt perhaps quicker, men caught, but not leader! (8)
FASTENER: The definition of a device, such as a clip, pin or clasp that attached something firmly to something else, an example of which is a bolt i.e. a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed is reached from FASTER (quicker) as an adjective in the comparative degree denoting quicker, faster or swifter, having [M]EN trapped inside (caught) without the leading or first letter (but not leader)

26a        Coarse cloth darling reversed (6)
VULGAR: The definition of an adjective meaning coarse, crude, boorish or lacking in refinement is fetched from a combo of RAG (cloth) as a piece of cloth used for cleaning, washing or dusting and LUV (darling) as a phonetic or informal spelling of ‘love’ used as a term of endearment, an example of which is a darling coming from the other end (reversed) as reversals in the across clue

27a        One in mixer turned over for so long (5)
ADIOS: I (one) as the Roman numeral for one placed inside (in) SODA (mixer) caused to retreat or coming from the other side (turned over) as a reversal in the across clue guides to the definition of an interjection used to express farewell or goodbye, an example of which is ‘so long’ i.e. another interjection used informally to express farewell or goodbye

28a        Previous idea so far failing (9)
AFORESAID: The definition of an adjective meaning said or mentioned earlier or previously is reached from an anagram (failing) of IDEA SO FAR

Down

1d           Big gun, that thing in bronze (5)
TITAN: The definition of a person of exceptional importance and reputation, an example of which is a big gun i.e. the most important or powerful person in an enterprise or field is arrived at from IT (that thing) as used to refer to a thing previously mentioned or easily identified placed inside (in) TAN (bronze) as to bronze, brown or become suntanned

2d           I doubt I can go wrong touring street (8)
AGNOSTIC: The definition of a sceptic or doubter i.e. person who is doubtful or non-committal about something is arrived at from an anagram (wrong) of I CAN GO going about (touring) ST (street) as the abbreviation for street that is a type of paved way in a city, town or village

3d           Parasite in swab? (6)
SPONGE: Double definition; the second being a piece of a soft, light, porous absorbent substance made of synthetic material, used for washing and cleaning, an example of which is a swab i.e. a mop or other absorbent device for cleaning or mopping up a floor or other surface that takes to the first a derogatory term for a person who lives at someone else’s expense, an example of which is a parasite i.e. a person who habitually relies on or exploits others and gives nothing in return

4d           Support for piano (4)
PROP: The definition of a verb meaning to support or keep in position is reached from a charade of PRO (for) as the Latin root word for the preposition ‘for’ and P (piano) as the abbreviation for piano in a piece of music, denoting an instruction to play quietly

5d           Suit that gentleman crafts (6)
HEARTS: The definition of one of the four suits in a modern deck of cards is got from a charade of HE (that gentleman) as a third person singular pronoun used to refer to a man, boy or any male person previously mentioned or easily identified, for example, pointing out to ‘that gentleman’ using such pronoun and ARTS (crafts) as the plural of a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice, an example of which is crafts i.e. the plural  of an activity involving skill in making things by hand

6d           High-pitched sound, call of small animal, runt (9)
PIPSQUEAK: A charade of PIP (high-pitched sound) as a short high-pitched sound, a sequence of which can act as a time signal, especially on radio and SQUEAK (call of small animal) as a short shrill cry or sound, such as that made by a mouse or a rusty hinge leads to the definition of an informal term for a contemptibly small or unimportant person, an example of which is a runt i.e. a derogatory term for a person who is small and contemptible

9d           Very cold, nipper grabbing coat, finally (6)
BITTER: The definition of an adjective meaning very or bitingly cold is got from BITER (nipper) as a person or animal that bites, especially habitually, an example of which is a nipper i.e. an insect or other creature that nips or bites, such as a crab or lobster, snatching or taking in (grabbing) the final or terminal letter (finally) of [COA]T

13d        Furry pet in pool? (5)
KITTY: Double definition; the second denoting a pool or reserve of money, especially one to which a number of people have contributed for a designated people or a pool into which players in a card game put some of their winnings, as to pay for refreshments that leads to the first being a pet name for a domestic cat or kitten that is covered in fur and kept for companionship

 

15d        Huge crowd, and thus so unruly (9)
THOUSANDS: The definition of a very large crowd of people is reached from an anagram (unruly) of AND THUS SO

17d        Old story, member reaching last page? (6)
LEGEND: The definition of a popular story handed down from earlier times whose truth has not been ascertained is reached from a charade of LEG (member) as one of the limbs or appendages that an animal uses for locomotion or support and having alongside (reaching) END (last page) as referring to the concluding part or last page of a book or novel

18d        Demonic soul with high forms (8)
GHOULISH: The definition of an adjective meaning strangely diabolical or demonic is reached from an anagram (forms) of a combo of SOUL and (with) HIGH

20d        Weaver of dream in bed (6)
BOTTOM: Double definition; the second denoting the bed or a depression forming the ground beneath a body of water, such as an ocean bed, sea bed, river bed, lake bed etc that takes to the first referring to Nick Bottom, a character of a weaver in trade in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, a play by William Shakespeare, cryptically a weaver of dream

22d        Corporate colours – as producer of bile? (6)
LIVERY: Double definition; the second being an adjective cryptically formed to mean ‘as producer of bile’ from liver-y i.e. like a liver and since the liver produces bile, livery can also mean liver-coloured or like the producer of bile that takes to the first referring to a company’s distinctive colour scheme or emblem on vehicle

23d        Swift finding power in swoop (5)
RAPID: The definition of an adjective denoting swift, fast or acting with speed is obtained from P (power) as the symbol for power in physics placed inside RAID (swoop) as a noun meaning swoop, descent, bust or surprise search

25d        Food originally consumed by vermin, considerable amount (4)
RAFT: The original or first letter (originally) of F[OOD] eaten or taken inside (consumed) by RAT (vermin) as a rodent that resembles a large mouse, typically having a pointed snout and a long tail, an example of which is vermin i.e. any of various small animals or insects that are pests that directly damage property, destroy crops and livestocks and act as vectors for disease, one of which is a rat leads to the definition of a large amount of something

There were many clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 7a, 14a, 19a, 21a, 26a, 4d, 5d, 6d, 17d, 20d and 22d; 1a being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to Dada for the entertainment. Looking forward to being here again.